U.S. patent application number 11/831774 was filed with the patent office on 2008-02-07 for apparatus for providing traffic information for each lane and using the information.
This patent application is currently assigned to LG ELECTRONICS INC.. Invention is credited to Sun Min LEE.
Application Number | 20080033632 11/831774 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39030297 |
Filed Date | 2008-02-07 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080033632 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
LEE; Sun Min |
February 7, 2008 |
APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING TRAFFIC INFORMATION FOR EACH LANE AND USING
THE INFORMATION
Abstract
An embodiment of the present invention provides traffic
information (e.g., congestion & travel-time information road
obstruction information, etc.) for each lane. A method for encoding
traffic information according to an embodiment of the present
invention creates status information including traffic information
on each individual lane belonging to a road link, creates location
information about the road link, and creates a traffic information
message including the status information and location information.
This message can be wirelessly transmitted from a server to a
terminal.
Inventors: |
LEE; Sun Min;
(Pyeongtaek-si, KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BIRCH STEWART KOLASCH & BIRCH
PO BOX 747
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22040-0747
US
|
Assignee: |
LG ELECTRONICS INC.
Seoul
KR
150-010
|
Family ID: |
39030297 |
Appl. No.: |
11/831774 |
Filed: |
July 31, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
701/117 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01C 21/3492 20130101;
G01C 21/3632 20130101; G08G 1/092 20130101; G01C 21/3658
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
701/117 |
International
Class: |
G08G 1/00 20060101
G08G001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Aug 4, 2006 |
KR |
10-2006-0075538 |
Claims
1. A method for encoding traffic information, comprising: creating
status information including traffic information on each of lanes
belonging to a road link; creating location information about the
road link; and creating a traffic information message including the
status information and the location information.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the location information includes
an identifier for identifying the road link.
3. The method of claim 2, wherein the location information further
includes information about the number of the lanes belonging to the
road link, and a driving direction of each of the lanes.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the created status information
includes a component carrying an identifying number for each of the
lanes, and an average speed or travel time on each of the
lanes.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: creating event
information including information on an obstruction occurred on the
road link and information on a lane which the obstruction
influences, and incorporating the created event information into
the traffic information message.
6. A method for decoding traffic information, comprising:
extracting a traffic information message from a received signal;
and extracting, from the extracted traffic information message,
status information including traffic information on each of lanes
belonging to a road link and location information about the road
link.
7. The method of claim 6, further comprising: outputting traffic
information on each of the lanes after decoding the status
information and the location information.
8. The method of claim 6, wherein the extracted location
information includes an identifier for identifying the road
link.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein tie extracted location
information further includes information about the number of the
lanes belonging to the road link, and a driving direction of each
of the lanes.
10. The method of claim 6, wherein the extracted status information
includes a component carrying an identifying number for each of the
lanes, and an average speed or travel time on each of die
lanes.
11. The method of claim 6, further comprising: extracting, from the
extracted traffic information message, event information including
information on an obstruction occurred on the road link and
information on a lane winch the obstruction influences.
12. An apparatus for decoding traffic information, comprising: a
decoder to extract, from a received traffic information messages,
status information including traffic information on each of lanes
belonging to a road link and location information on the road link,
and to decode the extracted status information and the location
information; and a controller to output traffic information on each
of die lanes based on the information decoded by the decoder.
13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the extracted location
information includes an identifier for identifying the road
link.
14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the extracted location
information further includes information about the number of the
lanes belonging to the toad link, and a driving direction of each
of the lanes.
15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the extracted status
information includes a component carrying an identifying number for
each of the lanes, and an average speed or travel time on each of
the lanes.
16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the controller displays on a
screen a predicted arrival time to a specified desolation for each
of the lanes.
17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the predicted arrival time
is calculated based on a sum of received traffic information of
road links belonging to a path leading to the specified
destination.
18. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the controller displays
traffic information on a present road link or a next road link
lying in a path direction on a screen separately for each of
lanes.
19. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the controller further
displays on a screen a driving direction of each of lanes belonging
to the present road link.
20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the driving direction of
each of the lanes belonging to the road link is obtained from
information decoded by the decoder or from road information
pre-stored in a storage unit.
21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the controller, as to a lane
leading to a specified destination, displays a driving direction of
that lane distinctively from those of other lanes.
22. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the controller, as to a lane
not leading to a specified destination, displays a driving
direction of that lane distinctively from those of other lanes.
23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein if the number of lanes
reduces on a path leading to a specified destination or on a next
road link in straight direction) the controller displays a driving
direction of a lane disappearing due to the reduction in the number
of lanes distinctively from those of other lanes.
24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein if an obstruction problem
exists in a path leading to a specified destination, the controller
displays a driving direction of a lane having the obstruction
problem distinctively from those of other lanes.
25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein in case that a predicted
arrival time through a particular lane differs from those through
other lanes by more than a threshold, the controller determines
that the obstruction problem includes at least one of an accident
happening and an on-going roadwork on the particular lane.
26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein information oil the accident
happening and/or the on-going roadwork on the particular lane is
obtained from event information decoded by the decoder from the
received traffic information messages.
27. An apparatus for providing a user with traffic information,
comprising: a decoder to extract, from a received signal, status
information including driving direction and/or traffic information
on each of lanes belonging to a road link and location information
on the road link; a controller to output the extracted information
through an output unit according to a request of a user; and an
interface unit comprising a requesting unit whose function is to
request driving direction and/or traffic information on each of
lanes belonging to a road link.
28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein when the requesting unit is
chosen, the controller outputs driving direction and/or transit
information on each of lanes belonging to a road link through the
output unit.
29. An apparatus for providing a user with traffic information,
comprising: a decoder to extract, from a received signal, status
information including driving direction and/or traffic information
on each of lanes belonging to a toad link and location information
on the road link; and a controller to output the extracted
information through an output unit according to a request of a
user, wherein in a condition that the driving direction and/or
traffic information on each of lanes belonging to the road link is
not displayed on the output unit, the controller provides an
interface unit with a requesting unit having a function of
requesting driving direction and/or traffic information on each of
lanes belonging to a road link.
30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the requesting unit
comprises a physically fixed key and a text string indicating the
function of the key.
31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the requesting unit
comprises a touch area on the output unit and a text string
indicating the function to be carried out when the touch area is
touched, the text string being displayed on the touch area.
32. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the controller provides the
interface unit with the requesting unit if display of driving
direction and/or traffic information oil each of lanes belonging to
a road link is set to inactive in an environment configuration of
the apparatus.
33. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the controller, along with
providing the requesting unit for the interface unit, changes a
mode displaying of driving direction and/or traffic information on
each of lanes belonging to a road link to active in an environment
configuration of the apparatus.
Description
[0001] This Non-provisional Application claims priority under 35
U.S.C. .sctn.119((a) on Patent Application No. 10-2006-0075538
filed in Republic of Korea on Aug. 4, 2006, the entire contents of
which are hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention is related to a method and apparatus
for providing road traffic information and using the provided
information.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Today, with the advancement of digital signal processing and
communications technology, radio and TV broadcast signals are
provided gradually in the form of digital data. As signals are
provided in a digital form, a variety of information such as news,
stock, weather, and traffic information are now supplementing the
TV or radio broadcasting signals.
[0006] In particular, necessity for traffic information is
constantly increasing with the increment of the number of vehicles
in downtown areas, the number of vehicles during holidays, and so
on. Accordingly, methods for providing traffic information as
auxiliary information via satellite, terrestrial broadcast, or
mobile communications network are under development.
[0007] Provision of traffic information as above is realized by the
unit of a road segment. A road segment is also called as a `link`
which is a unit road segment containing no branch inside. That is
to say, traffic information such as average link speed is provided
for each individual road link. Multiple lanes may exist in a single
road link and each lane can exhibit traffic status different from
each other. Therefore, while traveling to a destination, if a
driver moves along a particular lane on a particular road link and
the chosen lane exhibits heavy congestion, the driver may not be
able to arrive at the destination in time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] One objective of the present invention is to suggest a
method for providing a driver with useful traffic information of
each lane.
[0009] Another objection of the present invention is to provide a
method and apparatus for providing traffic information, which
address the limitations associated with the related art.
[0010] Another objective of the present invention is to provide a
method and apparatus for using traffic information provided for
each lane.
[0011] One method for encoding traffic information according to one
aspect of the present invention comprises creating status
information including traffic information about each individual
lane belonging to a road link, creating location information about
the road link, and creating a traffic information message including
the status information and location information.
[0012] One method for decoding traffic information according to one
aspect of the present invention comprises extracting a traffic
information message from received signals and extracting from the
extracted traffic information message, status information including
traffic information about each individual lane belonging to a road
link and location information about the road link.
[0013] In one embodiment according to the present invention, the
location information includes an identifier for identifying a road
link, number of lanes of the road link, and information about
driving direction of each lane.
[0014] In one embodiment according to the present invention, the
status information includes a component corresponding to each
individual lane, the component including an identifying number for
each lane and the average speed or travel time on the lane.
[0015] A terminal receiving traffic information according to one
embodiment of the present invention displays on a screen traffic
information of each lane which has been stored after decoding from
received signals along with driving direction information of each
lane.
[0016] In one embodiment according to the present invention, the
driving direction information of each lane is obtained by decoding
received traffic information signals.
[0017] In another embodiment according to the present invention,
the driving direction information of each lane is obtained from
pre-stored toad information such as an electronic map.
[0018] In one embodiment according to the present invention, when a
destination is specified, predicted arrival time leading to a
specified destination is displayed on a screen for each individual
lane. In the case of a destination not specified, traffic
information about a road link at a current location or about the
next road link lying in a path direction is displayed on a screen
separately for each individual lane.
[0019] In one embodiment according to the present invention, as to
the lane of driving direction leading to a specified destination,
the driving direction of the lane is displayed distinctively from
those of other lanes.
[0020] In another embodiment according to the present invention, as
to the lane of driving direction not leading to a specified
destination, the driving direction of the lane is displayed
distinctively from those of other lanes.
[0021] In one embodiment according to the present invention, when
the number of lanes is reduced in the next road link in a driving
direction leading to a specified destination or in straight
direction, the driving direction of a lane disappearing due to the
reduction in the number of lanes is displayed distinctively from
those of other lanes.
[0022] In one embodiment according to the present invention, when a
traffic problem (due to significant difference of predicted arrival
time between lanes, accident, or roadwork, etc.) exists on a path
leading to a specified destination, the driving direction of a lane
exhibiting the traffic problem is displayed distinctively from
those of other lanes.
[0023] One apparatus for decoding traffic information according to
one aspect of tie present invention comprises a decoder extracting
from a received traffic information message, status information
including traffic information about each individual lane belonging
to a road link and location information about the road link and
decoding the extracted status information and location information;
and a controller outputting traffic information about each lane on
a screen based on the information decoded by the decoder.
[0024] One apparatus for providing a user with traffic information
according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a
decoder extracting from received signals, status information
including driving direction and/or traffic information of each
individual lane belonging to a road link and location information
about the road link, a controller for outputting the extracted
information through an output unit at the request of the user, and
an interface unit comprising a requesting unit (e.g., button)
having a function of requesting driving direction and/of traffic
information of individual lanes belonging to a road link.
[0025] Another apparatus for providing a user with traffic
information according to one aspect of the present invention
comprises a decoder extracting from received signals, status
information including driving direction and/or traffic information
of each individual lane belonging to a road link and location
information about the road link; and a controller for outputting
the extracted information through an output unit at the request of
the user. The controller, when driving direction and/or traffic
information of each individual lane of a road link is not displayed
on the output unit, provides an interface unit with a requesting
unit (e.g., button) having a function of requesting driving
direction and/or traffic information of individual lanes belonging
to a road link.
[0026] An apparatus for receiving traffic information according to
another embodiment of the present invention displays traffic
information of each individual lane which has been stored after
decoding from received signals and displays information about
driving direction of each individual lane selectively on a
screen.
[0027] In one embodiment, information about driving direction of
each individual lane is displayed on a screen when there is a
tunnel, bridge, crossroad, or road branch (an elevated road or
freeway ramp, etc.) lying in a path direction.
[0028] In one embodiment, when a destination is specified, in
addition to the case of displaying information about the driving
direction of each lane, information about driving direction of each
individual lane is displayed on a screen when a left or right turn
is needed at a crossroad ahead.
[0029] In one embodiment according to the present invention, when
the display of driving direction and/or traffic information of each
individual lane belonging to a road link is set as inactive in an
enviroment configuration of the apparatus, the button is provided
to the interface unit and at the same time, the display of driving
direction and/or traffic information of each individual lane
belonging to a road link is set as active in the environment
configuration.
[0030] These and other objects of the present application will
become more readily apparent from the detailed description given
hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed
description and specific examples, while indicating preferred
embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration
only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and
scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the
art from this detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0031] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a
further understanding of the invention, illustrate the preferred
embodiments of the invention, and together with the description,
sense to explain the principles of the present invention. In the
drawings:
[0032] FIG. 1 illustrates a network through which traffic
information is provided according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0033] FIG. 2A illustrates an example of a format of traffic
information transmitted wirelessly according to the present
invention;
[0034] FIG. 2B illustrates an example of a syntax after which a CTT
event container or a TPEG-CTT location container of FIG. 2A is
composed according to the present invention;
[0035] FIG. 3A illustrates an example of a transfer structure of
congestion information included in a CTT event container centering
around a transfer of traffic information of each individual lane
according to the present invention;
[0036] FIG. 3B illustrates an example of a transfer structure of
information about a road link included with a TPEG-CTT location
container centering around a transfer of lane information of a road
link according to the present invention;
[0037] FIGS. 4A and 4B respectively illustrate examples of a syntax
of average link speed and link travel time loaded into a CTT
component of FIG. 3A;
[0038] FIGS. 5A through 5C respectively illustrate examples of a
syntax of number of lanes and driving direction information about
each individual lane loaded into a CTT component of FIG. 3B;
[0039] FIG. 6 illustrates an example of a transfer structure of
information about road conditions (obstacles, etc.) included in an
RTM event container in the case of a car accident and roadwork
according to the present invention;
[0040] FIG. 7 illustrates a block diagram of a navigation terminal
that receives traffic information transmitted from a secret in
accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;
[0041] FIG. 8 illustrates an example of storing decoded traffic
information separately for each lane according to one embodiment of
the present invention;
[0042] FIG. 9 illustrates an example of displaying travel time and
driving direction separately for each individual lane on a screen
according to one embodiment of the present invention;
[0043] FIG. 10 illustrates an example of displaying predicted
arrival time and driving direction separately for each individual
lane leading to a specified destination according to one embodiment
of the present invention; and
[0044] FIGS. 11A through 11C respectively illustrate an example of
separately displaying driving direction of each individual lane in
various ways according to road driving conditions in accordance
with one embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0045] Hereinafter, according to the present invention, several
embodiments will be described in detail with reference to appended
drawings.
[0046] FIG. 1 illustrates a network/system through which congestion
information (traffic information) is provided according to an
embodiment of the present invention. A traffic information
providing server or device 100 in a broadcast station reconfigures
information about congestion and road conditions (e.g., accident)
collected from various sources (e.g., operator input, information
received from another server through a network 101 or probe cars)
with respect to each road link and lane, and transmits the
reconfigured information wirelessly so that a traffic information
receiving terminal (e.g., a navigation terminal) installed in a car
200 or other entity can receive the information.
[0047] As shown in FIG. 2A, the format of traffic information
transmitted wirelessly from the traffic information providing
server 100 to the traffic information receiving terminal is
composed of a sequence of message links. Hereinafter, a message
link is referred to as a TPEG (Transport Protocol Export Group)-CTT
(Congestion and Travel-Time information) message. A message segment
in the sequence which transfers traffic (congestion) information,
namely a TPEG-CTT message comprises a message management container
21, a CTT event container 22, and a TPEG-CTT location container 23.
Other message segments in the segment sequence can be
traffic-related information other than traffic information, for
example, a TPEG-RTM (Road Traffic Message) message 30 for
transferring information about an obstruction on a road.
[0048] The message management container (e.g., element 21) carries
information about date, time, and occurrence time of a message, and
the CTT event container (e.g., element 22) carries traffic
information about each road link and lane. The TPEG-CTT location
container (e.g., element 23) carries location and description
information of a road link to which traffic information is
related.
[0049] Since the present invention is related to providing road
traffic information for each individual lane, configuration of
information and associated operations used to provide traffic
information for each lane according to the present invention is
provided in the following description. As for some techniques for
embodiments of the present invention but not described here, one of
various already-known methods for providing road traffic
information with respect to a road link can be used.
[0050] As shown in FIGS. 2B and 3A, both of the CTT event container
and the TPEG-CTT location container are composed of one or more
than one CTT component 201 when congestion (traffic) information is
loaded into a CTT component, each CTT component gets an identifier
of 0.times.80 as shown in FIG. 3A. In the case of location
information, each CTT component gets an identifier of 0.times.90 as
shown in FIG. 3B.
[0051] As shown in FIG. 3A, for example when a CTT component
includes traffic information, more than one status component 301
carrying traffic information is included and carried by a CTT
component 302 with an identifier of 0.times.80. Each status
component is transferred as traffic information carrying average
link speed (status component of an identifier 0.times.00) or link
travel time (status component of an identifier 0.times.01).
Information 303 about a lane to which the corresponding average
link speed or link travel tune is related is also transferred by
the corresponding status component. Therefore, if the number of
lanes is n for a road segment (ink), each of n status components
carrying traffic information of the corresponding lane is
transferred for traffic information about a single link.
[0052] FIGS. 4A and 4B respectively illustrate syntax of a
structure of individual status component (e.g., the element 301)
transferring average link speed and link travel time. A number can
be utilized to specify a lane number where the number can denote,
namely, the lane number. When the lane number is not known, for
instance, a value of 0 is assigned to the corresponding field. When
0 is assigned, the terminal (e.g., the car 200) receiving the
information can interpret that the average link speed or link
travel time carried by the status component is related to a
corresponding link whose lanes are not distinguished from each
other.
[0053] Information about a link for which traffic information of
each individual lane is provided is carried by a succeeding
TPEG-CTT location container, where FIG. 3B is the corresponding
example.
[0054] As shown in FIG. 3B, when a CTT component includes location
information of a road link, more than one TPEG location component
(Tpeg_loc_component) 311 is carried by a CTT component 312 having
an identifier of 0.times.90. Each TPEG location component 311
carries location coordinate information having an identifier of
0.times.00. The location coordinate information carries more than
one coordinates component 330.
[0055] A variety of information is loaded into each coordinates
component 330 depending on the identifier. For example, identifying
information, longitude and latitude coordinates, vertex, type
information, and description information of a link can be loaded
into each coordinates component 330.
[0056] As shown in FIG. 3B, a link identifier 320 (coordinates
component of an identifier 0.times.10) carries ID 321 of a toad
segment (or road segments), namely link (or links) to which traffic
information transferred by the status component described above is
related. The ID 321 corresponds to information for identifying a
road link uniquely across the entire service area of traffic
information, which can be either a number or a code.
Interrelationship between the traffic information carried by the
status component 301 and the link identification information
carried by the coordinates component 330 is determined by the order
of information in the corresponding component. The same rule is
applied between information carried by each coordinates component.
For example, a link component of a first identifier 0.times.00
(which carries link ID), a descriptor component of a first
identifier 0.times.01 (which carries information about the number
of lanes), and a descriptor component of a first identifier
0.times.02 (which carries information about driving direction of
each individual lane) are associated with each other.
[0057] As shown it FIG. 3B, the server 100 loads information about
lanes of a link into a descriptor (a coordinates component of an
identifier 0.times.03) 313 and thus transfers the information. In
addition to the lane information of a link, a variety of
description information about a link, e.g., link name is also
transferred by the descriptor 313, which has no relevance to the
present invention and consequently, further description is not
given. Information about the lanes of a link is composed of the
number of lanes and driving directions of respective lanes. The
number of lanes is transferred by a descriptor component 314 of an
identifier 0.times.01, the information of which is prepared
according to the syntax of FIG. 5A. Here, when the information
about the number of lanes is not given, a value of 0 is assigned to
the corresponding field and thus transferred. The server 100
configures information about driving direction of each individual
lane according to the syntax of FIG. 5B and transfers the
information through a descriptor component of au identifier
0.times.02. The transfer is carried out in such a way that a lane
direction component is prepared for each individual lane. As shown
in FIG. 3B, if the number of lanes of a road link is n, n lane
direction components 315 are loaded into the descriptor component
313 of an identifier 0.times.02. At least one lane direction field
for transferring driving direction information about a lane (lane
direction component of an identifier 0.times.00) 316 is provided in
the lane direction component 315, is prepared according to the
syntax illustrated in FIG. 5C and includes information about the
corresponding lane number 331 and driving direction 332. The lane
number 331 records a value indicating the corresponding lane. For
example, `1` is recorded for a first lane and `2` for a second
lane. The drilling direction 332 records a value indicating a
driving direction. As an example of a value illustrating a driving
direction, when the corresponding lane is in a straight direction,
`1` is recorded; `2` is recorded for left turn; `3` for right turn;
`4` for straight/left turn; `5` for straight/right turn; and `0` is
recorded for the case of no information about driving direction.
The above are just examples and it is obviously understood that
different numbers or other means can be assigned to each
direction.
[0058] When an obstruction on a road (accident or roadworks) is
included in the current traffic information collected from various
sources, the server 100 configures this information as a TPEG-RTM
message described above and thus transfers the information.
[0059] FIG. 6 illustrates an example of a TPEG-RTM (e.g., the
clement 30 in FIG. 2A) message through which the server 100
transfers information about an obstruction on a road. In the
example of FIG. 6, although an identifier for an RTM component for
transferring information about an obstruction on a road uses the
same identifier 0.times.80 as that of a CTT component described
above, whether a component in question is a CTT component or an RTM
component is generally determined by information carried by a
message management container at the front. Accordingly, the traffic
information receiving terminal does not exhibit misidentification
or confusion as to recognizing each component. As shown in FIG. 6,
the TPEG-RTM message includes a message management container, a
RTM-event container, and a TPEG location container The RTM-event
container includes one or mote RTM components 601, . . . 602, etc.
Information about an obstruction caused by vehicle problems on a
road is transferred by an RTM component 601 of an identifier
0.times.80 and information about an obstruction caused by roadwork
and so on is transferred by an RTM component 602 of an identifier
0.times.85. In addition thereto, information about various
obstacles on a road can be transferred through a relevant RTM
component at the time of the occurrence.
[0060] As shown in FIG. 6, in the case of an obstruction due to a
vehicle problem, information about the location of a vehicle
problem 611, the number of problem vehicles 612A, and a cause of
the vehicle problem 612B is prepared and transferred; in the case
of an obstruction due to roadwork and so on, information about the
location of roadwork 621, type of roadwork 622, etc. is prepared
and transferred. Information about lanes causing a traffic problem
is contained in the fields 611, 621 which transfer information
about location of an obstruction. For example, if a road
corresponds to a four-lane one way road and a vehicle problem
occurs or roadworks are underway at a third and fourth lane,
information specifying the third and fourth lane is loaded into the
information fields 611, 621 about the corresponding locations. A
method for representing information about lanes can be defined in
many ways and a definition according to a table rtmn10 defined by
an already-known TPEG RTM application can be adopted.
[0061] As to the cause of the vehicle problem 612B, a value
denoting, for example, `unknown`, `overturn`, `fire`, or `accident`
can be recorded; and a value denoting `unknown`, `maintenancc`,
'subway construction`, or `road painting` can be recorded in the
type of roadworks 622.
[0062] FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a navigation tertninal 70 that
receives traffic information transmitted from the server 100 in
accordance with one embodiment of the invention. The terminal 70
can be provided in other device/entity such as the car 200 in FIG.
1. The terminal 70 of FIG. 7 comprises a tuner I for resonating at
the required frequency band of received traffic information signals
and subsequently outputting modulated traffic information signals,
a demodulator 2 outputting traffic information signals by
demodulating the modulated traffic information signals, a TPEG
decoder 3 decoding the demodulated traffic information signals and
acquiring traffic information including a variety of road traffic
information and obstruction information, a GPS module 8 for
calculating a current position (e.g., latitude, longitude, and
altitude) by receiving signals from a plurality of satellites, a
storage means or unit 4 for storing a variety of graphic
information, an input device 9 for receiving a user's input, a
navigation engine 5 for controlling a screen display based on the
user's input, current location, and acquired traffic information, a
memory 5A to which necessary or other information is stored
temporarily, an LCD panel or other display unit 7 for video
display` and an LCD driver 6 for feeding driving signals to the LCD
panel 7 according to graphic data for display. The input device 9
can be an interface equipped on the LCD panel 7, e.g., a touch
screen. For the convenience of description below, the storage means
4 is assumed to be with or without an electronic map in which
information about each link and lane information and nodes of the
link are stored. The terminal 70 can include other components, and
all components of the terminal 70 are operatively coupled and
configured. [ 0 61] The tuner I resonates at signals that the
server 100 transmits, and the demodulator 2 demodulates and outputs
the resonating signals in a predetermined way. The TPEG decoder 3
then extracts from the input demodulation signals a TPEG message
which is transmitted with the structure of FIGS. 2A and 2B, FIGS.
3A and 3B, FIGS. 4A and 4B, FIGS. 5A through 5C, and/or FIG. 6 and
stores the TPEG message temporarily. Each of the temporarily stored
`PEG messages is interpreted and necessary information and/or
control data relevant to the content of the message are delivered
to the navigation engine 5. Although the TPEG decoder 3 delivers a
variety of information and/or control data to the navigation engine
5, since the present invention is related to providing traffic
information and obstruction information of each individual lane of
a link, descriptions in the following arc given centering around a
process of providing traffic information for each individual lane
for the sake of brevity.
[0063] The TPEG decoder 3 extracts date/time and message occurrence
time from a message management container of each TPEG message,
determines from information of `message element` whether a
succeeding container is a CTT event container or an RTM event
container. If the succeeding container corresponds to either of the
two, information obtained from a CTT component or an RTM component
within the container is delivered in order for a display operation
in accordance with traffic information and obstruction information
to be carried out by the navigation engine 5 for each individual
lane. Location information corresponding to currently transferred
traffic information is obtained from a succeeding TPEG-CTT location
container. The location information includes position coordinates
of a start and end point Longitude and latitude) or link ID
assigned to a toad link depending on type information of a TPEG-CTT
location container. Also, the TPEG-CTT location container further
includes lane information of each link (number of lanes and driving
direction of each lane). When the storage means 4 is provided, a
road segment corresponding to a received link ID is determined with
reference to the information about each link and node stored in the
storage means 4. Also, the navigation engine 5, when necessary,
converts position coordinates of the received link to a link ID or
vice versa.
[0064] If the storage means 4 is provided with an electronic map
(the entire information about each individual link and geographic
information), real-time information, e.g., traffic information and
road obstruction information can be obtained from the traffic
information provided from the server 100, whereas stationary
information, e.g., location information of a road, lane
information, etc. can be obtained from information contained in the
electronic map. Whether the stationary information utilizes the
information provided from the server 100 or information already
contained in the electronic map is only the matter of choice and
the method for providing a user with the traffic information
described below can be equally applied irrespective of the source
of stationary information. Difference exists only in using either
the electronic map information contained in the storage means 4 or
the decoded information stored in the memory 5A when there is a
need for stationary information about a road location, lane
information, etc.).
[0065] The navigation engine 5 stores received traffic information
and road obstruction information in the memory 5A for each link and
lane in the form of FIG. 8. At this moment, road obstruction
information (accident, roadworks, etc.) about the corresponding
lane of the corresponding link is stored in such a way that a
received road obstruction code is stored in association with the
corresponding lane of the corresponding link 71 as shown in FIG. 8.
Types of stored information in FIG. 8 are just a simple example;
besides, a variety of other traffic information provided from the
server 100 can be stored in the form of an indexical structure or
others.
[0066] The navigation engine 5, when the storage means 4 includes
an electronic map, reads out a necessary part of the electronic map
with reference to the current position coordinates received from
the GPS module 8 (an area centered on a current location, the size
of which is varied according to a current display scale) and
displays the read out part in the form of FIG. 9 on the LCD panel 7
through the driver 6. At this moment, a particular graphic symbol
81 is marked at a position corresponding to a current location.
[0067] The navigation engine 5 reads travel title (or average
speed) of each lane belonging to a current driving link from the
information stored in the memory 5A as shown in FIG. 8 and displays
the travel time 82 on the screen for each individual lane as shown
in FIG. 9. Also, driving direction information 83 for each
individual lane of a current driving road link is read and
displayed together on the screen. Information about each lane
(travel time or average speed, and driving direction information
for each lane) may not be provided for a normal case but instead
can be provided according to a user's selection of a soft button BI
requesting the activation of display of the corresponding
information. At this point, a soft button can be a physical key on
the input device 9, where the function carried out at the selection
of the button is selectively changed, and information notifying of
the function due to the selection of the button at a particular
time is displayed at the corresponding position on the LCD panel 7;
or a soft button can be a touch-screen type button, the function of
which is displayed on the LCD panel 7 and choice thereof is done on
the panel. It is equally possible to implement a button for
requesting the activation of information display of each lane on
the input device 9 as a key whose function is fixed. In another
embodiment according to the present invention, instead of
implementing a button for requesting the activation of information
display of each lane or together with providing the button, the
activation of information display of each lane can be controlled by
setting as active or inactive in the configuration of the terminal
70. That is to say, when the user sets `information display of each
lane` as active in a configuration screen provided by the
navigation engine 5, the information 82, 83 about each lane is
always displayed as shown in FIG. 9, whereas the corresponding
information is not displayed when set as inactive. In this way,
control of activation/deactivation of information for each lane
through a button or environment configuration can be equally
applied to the case of different information about lanes (e.g.,
predicted arrival time of each lane or obstruction information on a
particular lane) described below. In one embodiment according to
the present invention, when `information display of each lane` is
set as inactive in environment configuration, the navigation engine
5 provides a soft button requesting the activation of information
display of each lane where the button is requested, the navigation
engine 5 changes `information display of each lane` to active state
in environment configuration and at the same time, displays
information about each lane as shown in FIG. 9.
[0068] Depending on the user's choice, instead of traffic
information and lane direction information about a current driving
road segment, those about a link lying ahead or a link on the left
or on the right of path direction can be displayed.
[0069] If the user of the terminal 70 has specified a destination
through the input device 9, the navigation engine 5 determines an
optimal path (e.g., shortest distance or shortest time) to arrive
at the destination. The shortest distance path is the one where the
sum of lengths of links belonging to a set of road links is
shortest. The shortest time path is the one where the sum of travel
time of links belonging to a set of road links is shortest. After
an optimal path is determined, the navigation engine 5, as shown in
FIG. 10, displays predicted arrival time 91 of each individual lane
of the path to the destination. The predicted arrival time of each
individual lane is a sum of travel time of the same lanes on a
driving path. When the number of lanes is different between driving
links, e.g., the number of lanes of the next driving link is
reduced, travel time of the outermost lane utilizes that of the
next inner lane. For example, when a current link is a four-lane
toad and the next link is a three-lane road, in order to obtain
predicted arrival time of each individual lane to be displayed for
the user, since there is no fourth lane in the next link, predicted
arrival time for the fourth lane is obtained by making use of
travel time of the third lane for the next link. As to the driving
direction of each lane, the driving direction 92 of each lane about
a current link is displayed. A lane having a driving direction
leading to the specified destination can be displayed in such a way
distinguished from other displayed icons of different driving
directions (e.g., flickering, color inversion, or different color).
In another embodiment according to the present invention, as shown
in FIG. 11A, as to an icon of the lane direction not leading to the
specified destination, a graphic overlay for lane rejection 1001
can be applied to the icon. Subsequently, for the lane marked as
lane rejection as above, predicted arrival time is deleted (1002)
from the screen. When the driving direction of the deleted lane
corresponds again to the drilling direction to a destination in the
next link, graphic overlay for the lane rejection is removed and
the predicted arrival time is again displayed on the screen.
[0070] The next link on a path leading to a specified destination
or the next link lying on a current path direction in the case of
no specified destination may have a smaller number of lanes than
that of a current link. For this case, as shown in FIG. 11B, the
navigation engine 5 displays a direction icon 1011 for a lane
disappearing due to a reduction of the number of lanes
distinctively by using an icon color lighter than those of other
direction icons, thereby letting the user recognize the reduction
of lanes. Reduction of the number of lanes in the next link can
also be notified in another way or in a different form.
[0071] When there is an obstruction on a path leading to a
specified destination, as to a lane having the obstruction, the
direction icon of the corresponding lane can be displayed
differently from those of other lanes by utilizing a distinctive
color or a different size. FIG. 11C illustrates a display example
thereof, where a direction icon 1021 of the corresponding lane is
displayed in red color in order to indicate that obstructions exist
in the third and fourth lanes of the road segment belonging to the
path leading to the destination. When the user requests a detailed
description about the corresponding icon 1021, by reading codes
indicative of a road obstruction and the related cause received
with respect to the corresponding link or to the most adjacent link
among links belonging to the path (which is the case of receiving
obstruction information about multiple links on a path),
description 1022 about the code (car accident, subway construction,
etc.) can be displayed on the screen.
[0072] If, for no particular reason, the received predicted arrival
time to a destination calculated from travel time according to each
individual lane of each link reveals a severe deviation, for
example, if the predicted arrival time of a particular lane is
longer more than 30% of average or maximums value of those of other
lanes, a direction icon of the corresponding lane can be displayed
by using the same form for indicating a road obstruction as shown
in FIG. 11C. At this point, when the user requests a detailed
description, a notice such as "arrival time delayed" can be
displayed on the screen.
[0073] In another example according to the present invention, the
navigation engine 5 does not always display direction icons of each
lane on the screen but can display direction icons depending on
current driving conditions. For example, in the case of a current
destination not specified, display can be activated when a tunnel,
bridge, crossroad, or road branch (an elevated road or freeway
ramp, etc.) is within 300 meters ahead. In the case of a current
destination specified, besides displaying as is done for the case
of no specified destination, a direction icon can be displayed on
the screen when a left turn or right turn should be made at a
crossroad ahead.
[0074] The various embodiments and examples of the present
invention described in detail in the above enable a driver driving
in a big city of crowded traffic to arrive at a desired destination
in less time by displaying and making use of estimated traffic
information and obstruction information of each individual lane of
a road. Since the present invention can distribute traffic
appropriately across lanes, efficient use of road resources can be
achieved.
[0075] The foregoing description of preferred embodiments of the
present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration.
Thus, those skilled in the art may utilize the invention and
various embodiments with improvements, modifications,
substitutions, or additions within the spirit and scope of the
invention as defined by the following appended claims.
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